Angle determining device



Oct. 29, 1940. F. H. HAGNER ANGLE DETERMINING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 29, 1940. F, A N R 2,219,990

ANGLE DETERMINING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 32 -{|l|| 2 (y a I Patented Oct. 29, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,219,990 ANGLE nnrnmmvmd nnvrcn Frederick Ila yes Hagner, San Antonio, Tex, as-

signor to Archbold-Hagner Instrument Labora-- tory, Inc., a corporation oi Delaware Application April 13, 1938, Serial No. 2o1,s4s

Claims.

' This invention relates 'to angle determining devices and has for one of its objects the production of a means for determining the angular position 01' a ship, planeand the like, at a giventime is with respect toa horizontal or vertical plane.

A further object oi. this invention is the production of a simple and empieni; means for recording the angular position of a plane, ship, and

[the like, at a given time relative to a horizontal 1Q or vertical plane, whereby the readings while taking observations of celestial bodies and the like may be conveniently checked with the record of the angular position of the observation instrument at the time of observation to more accu- '5 ratelyobtain a proper calculation as to an.ob-

servers position with respect to the body being observed. I

A still 'iurther object of this invention is the production of a simple and eiiicient device for producing a permanent record or the angular position of the device with respect to the vertical and horizontal planes, at a given time.

- :Other objects and advantages of the sent invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims. J

' In the drawings:

Figure -1 is a side elevational view or the angle determining device, certain parts being shggyn in section;

Figure 2 is a bottom in Figure 1;

. Figure 3 is a horizon 'line 3-2 of igure 1;

' 9 view oi'the/ evice tal sectional view taken on Figure 4 is a tragmentary side elevational view 3, 01' the lower end angles Figure 1;

e 5 is asectional s r z 4 Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through ttie device, certain parts being shown in elevaoi the device looking at right view taken on line 5-- Figure 6- is a =1 tic view of the electrical circuit for controlling the light and magnet carried by the device;

Figure is a horizontal sectional view taken on line |-I of Figure 6; g

Figure 84sa transverse sectional view through a portion or the base, showing the recording plate in transverse section; l Figure 9 is avertical sectional viewpartly in elevation showing the device in a tilted position; Figure 10 is a side elevational view illustrating one typical mannerin which the device maybe u Figure 11 is a tie view 'of the elec--' trical circuits used when the device is coupled with a time watch. i

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I 5 designates a casin which is provided with a head It and a base i The head It is provided 5 with an internally th e ed aperture [8 for iacilitating the attachment of the device to the base of a position finder or other observation instrument such as is indicated in general by the numeral I! in Figure 10. My angle determining 10 Rdevice may be used in connection with the position finder shown in Figure 10, wherein the position'finder is illustrated in general to the indicate a device such as is covered by my prior Patents #2,064,061 and #2,064,062, both issued December 15 15; 1936, and relating to Position finders and Navigating instruments, respectively. The present" device, however, may be used in. connection with other navigating instruments or mounted separately without departing 1mm the spirit of go the invention. I.provide journals 20 extending laterally oi the base ll, which Journals may be connected toand supported upon ginibals to provide a universal mounting as is usual with such types oil-navigating instruments. The casing II is provided with a plurality of windows 2| and a suitable transparent covering 22 may be placed around the casingwo close the-openings 2| and at the same time permit the entrance of. light and observation therethrough.

The head ll carries a plurality oi batteries 23 which are electrically connectedto' an electromagnet 24 mounted to extend vertically through the vertical center oi the head ll, the battery 24 having a central core 28 extendinginto the upper end of the compartment 26 formed by the casing l5 whereby a ball 21 may be magnetically held in engagement with the end of the core 25 when the magnet 24 is energized. A light 28 is carried by the head I8 within the upper end of the compartm'ent 28 adjacent'the core 25 and may be electrically connected in series with the magnet 24, as is shown in the diagram in Figure 6-. A normally closed push-button switch 22 is carried by the head ll the switch 22 normally closing the contact ll tor completing the circuit through the wire 2i to the lamp 24', electro-magnet 24, battery22, and back to the switch 28 through the wire 32. I also provide a suitable channel 33.01

, any suitable 0i" desired type, whereby balls may be fed toward the core 2| whereby the ball, such as the ball 21, may be held in contact with the core 25 by the energization of the magnet 24.

The bottom end oi the casing II is cone shaped, as indicated at 14, the same converging is concavo-convex, the concave iace facing 2 toward the recording glass which is preigraglly e direction of the magnet 24.- glass 35 closes the lower end of the casing l5 and is carried by a sliding frame 36, which frame 36 is slidably mounted through the base i! whereby the recording glass 35 may be removed from the instrument when so desired. A spring-pressed pin 31 is carried by the irame 36. This pin 31 is provided with a threaded lower end 38 for fitting into the threaded socket 39 formed in the base I! for locking the irame 36 in position.

"An arc-shaped rack is suspended below the base I! and extends diametrically across the base in ofiset alignment with the transverse axis of the base and offset laterally with respect to the jour s 20, as shown in Figure 2.

A h using 4| is suspended from the rack 49 and carries a vernier 42 which has threaded engagement with the rack 40. This housing 4! carries a magnifying lens telescope 43 extending in a' vertical direction and normally in alignment with the central vertical axis 0; the casing i5 and the core 25, but the angular position 6! the telescope 43 may be changed and the angular movement may be read by consulting the vernier'readings 44 of the conventional type. The glass 35 is provided upon its inner concave lace with a thin film of wax coating d I The operation of the device is as follows: A ball is fed through the passageway 33 whereuponthe energized core 25 will cause the ball 27 to take the position shown in Figure 6. When the observation is made, or when it is desired to ascertain the angle which theplan'e, ship, and the like,

has assumed at a certain time, the operator will push the push-button 29 de-energizing the magnet 24 thereby releasing the ball 21, which ball will Iali'through gravity in a direct line and make an impression upon the film coating 45 in a manner such as indicated in full line in Figure 8 and in dotted lines in Figure 9. 1 As soon as the pushbutton 29 is released, themagnet 24 will be again energized and the light 28 will be illuminated. The instrument may then be swung at 180 or, 360 allowing an observer to sight thepointoi contact of the ball 21 or the impression made upon the film 45-0: the glass as through'the telescope 34 and the reading on the vernier 44 will give the exact angle and the direction from the true vertical with respect to the vertical or horizontal plane which he instrument assumed when the observation was ade or at the selected time when the ball 2'| was released. The ball 21 will .fall from the glass 35 towards the core 25 as the instrument is inverted and the energized core 25 will cause the ball 21 to be centered thereon, and if other balls are necessary or should it not bedesired to' invert the device, other balls may be fed-through the channel 33. While the'observation is being made, the light 28 will be illuminated thereby facilitatirlg the reading upon the glass 35 through the telescope 43x As shown in Figure 10, my device may be applied to the base of a position finder, as indicated by the numeral l9 and referred to in the above description, the manner of observation being illustrated in diagram. The casing l5 when attached to the position finder or observation instrument, may be gripped by the handoi the operatorand when the proper observation is made the pushbutton 29 may be actuated to break the electrical circuit, thereby deenergizing the magnet 24 and dropping the ball 21 upon the film coating 45 of the glass 35, and recording "an impression; The

zontal plane the glass 35 may be viewed through the telescopeto the vertical or horizontal by the release of the ball 21 preferably of metal, striking upon the present devige may amount of variance -from the normal center will determine the degree of the angle which the casing 15 assumes with respect to the vertical or horiand the position of the impression on 43 in the manner as described above.

InFigure 11, there is shown a modification "of the invention wherein a normally closed switch is illustrated to be actuated by a push-button 41 similar to the push-button 29 for normally closed contact with the contact 43, the switch 46 and contact 48 being electrically connected to the electro-magnet 49 in a manner shnilar to that described with respect to Figure 6. A conventional type stop watch 50 may be associated with the apparatus and thisrnay be actuated through the medium of an armature 5| which is adapted to be actuated by a relay 52 controlled through a contact 53 for energizing the magnet or relay 52, as the switch'arm 46 is moved to a position to open the contact 48 and close the contact 43. This will cause the armature 51 to engage the stop watch 50 and cause the stop watch to stop simultaneously with the deenergiz ation oi the magnet 49 and in this way automatically rec'ordwhich will provide a'universal joint support for the device, permitting the position of the device to be changed universally in the conventional manner without changing the azimuth reading, such for instance as when the device is used in conjunction with the position finder or navigating instrumentis.

It should be understood that the glass 35 necessarily must be of the correct radius with respect to the lower end of the core 25 and through the medium of the device illustrated and described, the angle of the tilt of ,the casing i5 with respect plane will be recorded thin film of wax or other'mate rial, the ball falling in a direct line from the core 25 to the plate35, the plate 35 being of transparent glass. The ball when falling upon the thin film of. wax, will cause a small indentation thereby recording the point where the ball struck the film of wax. Should the ball bounce, the other indentations niade thereby will be exceedingly slight the observer may easily select the proper impression. The small magnifying lass carried by the telesco 43 may be adjusted by the micrometer screw and vernier 42 and the'exact reading may be obtained "from the vernier reading 44. The

, present tilt indicator maybe placed upon a plane or ship, or mounted in any desired or suitable manner for-the purpose of recording the angle of tilt or checking the angular tilt with otherinstruments with which it maybe associated. The also be incorporated in any and all types-o; observing instruments where it is necessary to obtain a true horizontal or vertical reading. v y One of the important advantages of the present 7 device is the speed with which an observation may 1m made. The angle set on the instrument for an assumed altitude or position when observing any'celestial body allows the observer to bringlthe image of the observed body to the cross hairs of the observation instrument and when the proper aligned sighting has been obtained, he merely re leases theball 21 and thereby obtains an accurate recording of the angle distance error to apply to' the setting '01 his instrument. It is not necessary for. the observer's eye, as is usual with other instruments, to follow a bubble or fast moving object.

when the recording and measuring device I shows the instrument was tilted minuteso! arcin a" certain direction, the observer may then adlust'hisinstrument for the next observation to compensate forthis angular tilt so that ii he releases the ball when the body he was observing was properly sighted, the ball would fall in a J t rue' vertical line. It acceleration should be taking place while the ball was in space, the'glass re- /corder or plate 36 would then be moving in a direction different than at the time when the ball was released. and this action would cause the ball to bounce and spin so that the point of striking of the ball the second time upon the wax coating Q observer should make another shot. However, a

- v The push-button is maybe located at any suitwould bean indication that the first impression made by the ball was nota true one, and the diagram might be easily made by the observer, whereby an approximate. error could be known.

able or desired and conveni nt point with respect to the angle determining d ce, as will be obvious by considering-the diagram in Figure 6. This will permit the device'to be used for determining the tilt of the bore oif an oil well by lowering the same into the casing and locating the, switch I! at a convenient point for operation torelease the ball vantage when taking navigating observations.

carried a Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An angle-recording device of the class described cgmprising a casing, an electro-magnet one. end of the casing and adapted to carry a. missile, a normally closed switch electrically connected to a source of electrical supply for normally maintaining the electro-magnet in an energized position whereby a missile will'be held adjacentthe magnet, and impression means carried by the opposite end of the casing upon which said missile is adapted to strlke as said magnet is deenergized.

2. An angle-recording device of the class described comprising a casing. an electro-magnet carried at one end of the casing and adapted to carry a missile, a normally closed switch elecjtrically connected to a source of electrical supply for normally maintaining the electro-magnet in an' energized position whereby a missile will be held adjacent the magnet, impression ,means carried bythe opposite end of the casing upon which said missile is adapted to strike as said magnet is deenergized, and means iorv facilitating the viewing pi the impression means. a

3. angle-recording device of the class described comprising a casing, an electro-magnet carried at one end of the casing and adapted I tocarry amissile, a normally closed switch 'elec-' trically connected'to a source of electricalsupply fon normally maintaining the electro-magnet in anenergized position whereby a missile will be the magnet, a ball adapted prising a transparent b0 held adjacent the magnet; impression means carried by the opposite end of the casing upon which said missile is adapted to strike as said in t is deenergiaed, means for facilitating the vie oi the impression means. nd illuminating means within the z 4. A device for recording the angle or tilt with respect to the vertical and horizontal planes comprising a casing, an electro-magnet carried at. one end of' the casing having a core located at 19 the center of the casing, a normally closed switch, J a source of electrical supply connecting the switch and magnet whereby the magnet will be normally energized, the switch being adapted to deenergize the magnet when actuated for breaking the circuit between the source of electrical supply and tobe normally held the end oi said core,

in magnetized contact with 'and impression means carried by the opposite end of the casing upon which the ball is adapted to strike for recording an impression to record the angle of tilt of the instrument.

. 5. A device of the class described comprising a caslng,'means for suspending a missile at one end oi the casing, an im ression medium com'- 25 with "an .impressible coating upon its inner face upon which the missile is adapted to strike when dropped from one end of the body in the direction of the impression means, means for facilitating the viewing ,or so the impression means, and adjustable measuring. means for measuring the variance between the normal center 01' gravity and the point of impression upon the impression means.

6. A device for measuring the angle of tilt with to respect to the vertical and horizontal planes comprising a casing, means for suspending a ball in the upper end of the casing, a transparent glass carried at the lower end of the casing and having a thinfilm of wax upon its inner face whereby so an impression may be made in the film of wax movement to determine the relative variance be- 45 tween the normal center of gravity and the location oi! the impression whereby the angle of tilt may be accurately obtained.

7. A device for measuring the angle of tilt with respect to the vertical and horizontal planes comso prising a casing, means for suspending shall in the upper end oLthe casing. a transparent glass carriedat the lower end of the casing and having a thin film of wax upon its inner face wherebyan impression may be made in the film 56 of wax when the ball drops thereon, means for viewing the glass and impression thereon, means for moving the glass and measuring the distance location of the impression whereby the angle 01 tilt may be accurately obtained, said means for moving'the. glass comprising a supporting rackand a micrometer screw engaging the rack. g 8. A device for measuring the angle of tilt with respect to the vertical and horizontal planes comprising a casing, means for suspending a ball in the upper end of the casing, a transparent glass carried at the lower end oi. the casing and having a thin film of wax upon its inner face whereby 7 an'impression may be made in the film of wax when the ball dropsthereon, means for viewing 1 the glass and impression thereon, means for moving the glass and measmdng the distance of movement to determine the relative variance between We l to release supporting the glass slidably mounted within the casing and removable from the casing, and means for locking said frame upon the base.

10. A device of the class described comprising a casing, means for suspending a missile at one end of the casing, a recording means carried by the casing in spaced relation to the means for suspending amissile, means for. releasing the missile to cause the missile to strike the recording the normal center of gravity and the location of the impression whereby the angle 02 tilt may be accurately obtained, and a frame for supporting the glass slidably mounted within the casing d and removable from the casing.

9. A device for measuring the angle of tilt with respect to the vertical and horizontal planes comprising a casing, means for suspending s ball in the upper end of the casing, a transparentglass carried at, the lower end 03 thecasing and having a thin film of wax upon its innerface whereby an impression may be made in the film of wax when the ball drops thereon, means for viewing the glass and impression thn, means for moving the glass and mensu 1: thedistance of movementto determine the relative variance between the normal center of gravity and the location of the impression whereby the angle of tilt may be accurately obtmned, a frame tor slle with the recording means may be preserved forobservation by the operator, and means carried by the casing for moving the recording means 15 and measuringthe distance of movement to decenter of gravity and contact of the missile whereby the angle of tilt may be accurately determined.

means whereby the point of contact of the miss tee the relative variance between the normal the location of the point or- 

